Everlasting Love
by Morkeleb
Summary: Arwen cannot decide whether to stay with Aragorn or go with her father to the West. So she looks for help from the only other elf who has given up their immortality for a human love...
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I don't own Lord of the Rings, though I wish I did! Some of the new characters are mine though! Mine, my precioussss- of sorry, um on to the story:

*** denotes thought and if you can't tell this takes place somewhere around the second book.**

**---*----*-----* denotes a flash back**

Arwen spent days thinking about the decision she had to make. *Should I stay here with my love, or follow my father's wishes and leave for the west. If I go, I will never see Aragorn again, but if I stay… (Flash back to scene from the Two Towers with Elrond speaking) "He will eventually fall prey to old age and die. But you, you will live on, bereft of any comfort till his life is but a memory…"

With a start Arwen sat up from her trance. "I know what I must do." In the dead of the night, she crept quietly down the hallway past her father's room until she reached the huge library. She quickly began to tear through the shelves, looking for one book- * It has to be here, I know it must! Father used to read me that story all the time when I was very little. It was one of my favorites, now where is it?!

Suddenly Arwen found it. She carefully took out the book, dusty from lack of use. She ran her hands delicately over the cover, tracing the familiar carvings from her childhood. Flipping open the book of Elvish folklore, her hands deftly flipped page after page, confident in their knowledge of the location of the most beloved tale. She stopped, and quickly ran to light a candle. * Finally, I've found it! I hope this will tell me what I need to know!

---*---*---*---*---*

Arwen sat carefully on the floor, the large book balanced delicately on her knees. Warm sunlight fell onto the young elf, dancing wildly over the title of the folk tale, The Man and the Elf Princess. "Once upon a time, a beautiful Elf Princess, named Eamane met a handsome young man. She quickly fell in love with him, his dashing smile, and brave acts. – Finally, the time came for Eamane to go to the West. She did not want to leave her human love behind, so she defied her father and her people and stayed with the man."

Elrond found his young daughter crying on the floor of the library, a book of folklore tossed aside. "What's wrong Arwen? Why are you crying?" 

"Oh Papa, the human died, leaving Eamane all alone!"

"Arwen, you know that that is what happens to humans, they are not immortal like Elves."

"I know, but they were in love, she stammered between sobs, He should have stayed with her!" 

---*---*---*---*---*

Arwen's head shot up, "Eamane Saralonde! That was her name, and that's who I have to find."

She scribed a note quickly to her father saying simply, "I've gone to find Eamane, do not wait the boats too long for me."

She left the House of Elrond with nothing but a small dagger and some lembas bread. Running to the stables, she saddled her horse and left just as the sun was beginning to poke it's head past the horizon. At the top of the valley, Arwen turned back to look at her beloved home of Rivendell perhaps for the last time. The first rays of the sun had not yet pierced the valley, leaving the beautiful buildings in shadow. Looking straight ahead, the road north shone gloriously in the sunlight. Turning she took one last look at the shrouded city, and then swiftly galloped away.

**Ok, so what do ya think? Hope you guys liked it, if you did, Review, and I'll keep the story going. **  


	2. Finding Eamane

Disclaimer: See chapter one, cuz I'm lazy.  
  
Wow, I was not expecting that many reviews! Sorry to all of you whom I've offended with my complete and total lack of knowledge of Tolkien. No, I had never ever heard of Luthien Tinuviel ( for anyone else as knowledgeless as me, she's Arwen's great great grandmother and she gave up her immortality for a human) and I think I will have to check out the Silmarillion when I get the time. But for this story, I'm going to try to carry on without nearly enough info. I really wish I was knowledgeable enough to write this story properly, because Tolkien was a genious and I hate messing up his work so thoroughly, but that's why this is fanfiction. I'm not trying to write exactly like Tolkien, I'm just doing this for fun and hoping some people find my pathetic attempts at literature enjoyable. So I appreciate all the input; I will try to fix as many things as possible without having to rewrite the entire story. Please don't get me wrong, I worship Tolkien as a writer, he's the father of all modern fiction, but I am not him. I've never met him and although there is tons of literature by him completely explaining all the intricacies of Middle Earth I'd rather not write with in those boundaries. He's got them covered. That would be just trying to rewrite what he's already described. I'd rather write something loosely based on his ideas, or more correctly, I'm stealing his characters and doing with them what I want. I'm truly sorry if this offends/bothers some of you, (I'm that picky about other topics so I know how you feel) but that is my writing style. I still welcome all reviews, I'd like to know your opinions on this. Also, I really do appreciate the information on Tolkien. If I've screwed something up completely beyond fixing and you think I should stop this story then please tell me. Well, I wrote way more than I expected to, maybe I should just call this a forward to my little ficlet. So anyway, here's chapter 2  
  
~ means spoken in Elvish  
  
* denotes thought  
  
After traveling north through the woods for a few days, Arwen headed west, parallel to the Great East Road. On the third night, she reached Weathertop just as the sun fell behind the hills. Reluctantly she prepared to spend the night. Looking up to the top of the abandoned tower, she could picture the battle that had occurred there no more than three months before. An involuntary shiver ran through her body just thinking about the Nazgul and the damage their morgul blade had done. But those thoughts were soon replaced with pleasant dreams of her Aragorn. She dreamed of what their life together would be like, happy and joyful. Slowly those dreams were followed by visions of her father and the other elves going into the West. She thought about the peace of eternity with her father and her kin. Again though, her thoughts returned to Aragorn. The elves, or Aragorn. Elves. Aragorn. Elves. Aragorn. "Oh, how I wish I didn't have to choose!"  
  
As Arwen rested in a trance, she tried to think about where to look for the fabled Elf Princess Eamane. From the book, she had gotten that Eamane was, or had been a wood elf. The only problem was that the entire world had changed since the time of that story. Arwen racked her brain, trying to remember an ancient map she had seen decades ago. It had been labeled with the old kingdoms as well as the new. She forced herself even harder in her attempt to remember. It was right there, if she could just reach out and touch it. She could feel the cracked old paper in her hands; she could see the ink. Letters slowly began to appear in the northeast corner of the map. A-R- Her eyes sprang open. "The Lost Realm of Arnor!" *Eamane was the princess of Arnor. The Lost Realm is only a two days ride northeast of here! If I push hard, I can make it in one. But Arnor is so huge! It will take forever to find Eamane, that's if she stills alive- "No", Arwen stated firmly. "I will not think that way. I will find her, and then I will know whether to stay here, or go to the West." With that, she jumped onto her horse and headed Northeast through the wilderness.  
  
Chapter 3 coming real soon! Please R + R, thanks. 


	3. Found?

**Disclaimer: See chapter one, cuz I'm lazy. **

**~ means spoken in Elvish**

*** denotes thought**

Arwen traveled hard that day, passing Fornost at noon and arriving at the boundary to the Lost Realm of Arnor at dusk. In the fading light, she saw a barren land rent in half by the looming Hills of Evendim in the distance. She spent the night next to a stream that unbeknownced to her further south was known as the Brandywine, and at first light, she rose and rode to a village she found near by. 

Outside the little village of Nenuial, Arwen was spotted by several young boys who ran ahead into the town. *Well, at least they know I'm coming now. I hope that they will know something about Eamane." 

As she reached the outskirts of the village several large men came out to meet her armed with pitchforks and rakes. The one in the lead scrutinized her heavily with great suspision.

"I'm sorry sir, but I'm new around here and I was wondering if you could give me some information-" Arwen began but was interrupted as one of the men spat in heavily accented English (sorry, I can't remember what language men speak) "Go back to the hills Elf witch. We want none of your trouble round here!"

"I am no Elf witch! I simply want some help finding-"

Again she was cut off. "We don't want any trouble. Now leave!"

~ "These humans are very rude, but it seems Eamane might be living around here."

With these words, the men threw their hands over their ears. "We know your tricks!" the first man shouted. "You cannot put us under your spells, now leave!"

Shocked, Arwen realized they were truly afraid of her. Reluctantly she turned her horse and began to ride away. It scared her that an Elf could instill such fear in these humans. She looked back once to see all four men running as fast as they could towards the village. *Well I think I'm getting closer. It seems likely that some Elf is living near by and even if it's not Eamane, they might know where she is.

Excited once again, Arwen headed west around the village towards the hills and what appeared to be a large lake.

As she traveled, Arwen took note of the land. Though it was now flat and grassy, she could feel that there had once been a forest here. She passed several farm cottages, and at each one, the humans fled inside, barring doors and whispering prayers for protection. *This is most strange! I have never seen humans act this way before. They seem truly afraid of elves! This does not bode well for finding Eamane…*

With in an hour, Arwen reached the edge of a large lake. The lake was surrounded on the southern shore by a huge forest, that looked very old. Arwen with mounting excitement rode around the lake towards the stand of trees. Finally she reached the edge of the woods and slowed her horse to a walk. The woods emanated a feeling of warmth and safety that Arwen had not felt since leaving Rivendell three days past. She rode slowly, enjoying the soft bird song and the beauty of the ancient trees. After traveling for quite some time, Arwen came to a clearing, which was dominated by a huge stone statue of a man. Arwen dismounted carefully and slowly went towards the statue. The carving was very detailed, showing the facial features and build of the human exactly. He seemed almost alive. Arwen's attention was then drawn to the plaque at the bottom. There it read, "For my beloved Aram, brave husband and king whose time came too soon." Right below it, was a signature, but it was covered with moss and mold. Arwen bent down and gently removed the moss revealing the name, Eamane Saralonde. Suddenly, Arwen felt a dagger pushed roughly against her neck. "Touch the statue again, and I will slit your throat," came a chill voice from above her. With that, something pricked Arwen's shoulder and she fell soundlessly into darkness.


End file.
